One way to measure how important people consider this issue is to look at the money involved with it.
! $21 billion spent on home security systems every year. $60 billion was sent on cyber security in 2021.
! Up from $41 billion just a year before.
$60 billion. The stores and businesses cost retailers over $68 billion a year.
Personal security is a $300 billion business. As a matter of fact, you can have your own 24-7 bodyguard for $500,000
or $900,000 if they can make you pay that much. Also, to protect from financial tragedy,
Americans spend over $600 billion on property and casualty premiums, $600 billion on life,
annuity premiums, and over $1 trillion in health insurance premiums every year.
There are an estimated 12.5 million police officers in the world, most paid in taxes,
$2.1 trillion in health insurance.
The world's military every year. By the way, 72% of that, or $800 million, is in the US.
$1 trillion in health insurance.
Now, according to the Bible, God cares immensely about our security.
In the US.
When the Lord placed people on the earth, He started with a man and a woman who were created to represent Him,
uniquely to represent Him.
He started with a man, multiplying and filling the world with His creation, His children,
bringing order to the earth through cultivation and natural resource and wildlife management.
Adam and Eve's disobedience didn't remove God's mandate,
but the resulting curse did bring about a change in the difficulty of the mandate.
As a loving Father, as a sustaining Father, our Creator has a deep interest in His children's well-being in a world affected by the curse.
He delights to see His children enjoying the pleasures of His creation,
and He blesses the fruit of hard work and diligence of building and of securing what is built.
God has always encouraged His people to look to Him for their sustenance and security.
And the family itself was designed by God as an essential part of His way of providing protection and security.
It's no wonder as well that when Jesus refers to the church that He is building,
which is in reality the redeemed family of God,
He mentions security right away.
He says, I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.
Our Heavenly Father wants us to experience His providence and protection in our homes and in our churches.
Psalm 127 is a wisdom psalm that gives us a glimpse of God's heart in the matter.
It's a psalm that God included in the scriptures to remind us to trust Him for our well-being.
God wants you and me to completely depend upon Him to establish and maintain your life and your calling.
He cares about you as a father cares for his child,
and He wants you to know that you can trust His way of providing for and defending you.
God wants you and me to know that you can trust Him for your life and your calling.
Now we find this psalm right in the middle,
the Songs of Ascent,
a series of psalms that are said to have been sung by pilgrims traveling up to Jerusalem.
These psalms encourage trust in and with fear of Yahweh,
the Lord.
This morning I'd like to highlight three important truths from Psalm 127
that the poet has given to encourage you to greater dependence on the Lord.
So let's look at verse 1 again.
Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it may be the day.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
Now this psalm begins with a proverb.
That's one reason why they categorize it as a wisdom psalm.
The proverb serves as a merciful reminder and warning.
In it, God wants us,
He warns us, that is,
that it's possible to be deceived by a false sense of security.
So the first truth then,
is that God wants you to beware of a false sense of security.
And by it, He wants to save you
from what would otherwise be a wasted life.
There's two main images here in this verse.
One is of laborers building a house,
and one is of a watchman guarding a city at night.
These are two very different tasks
that are considered essential to human security.
We live in a physical world
that can be very harsh at times
and requires shelter.
Cold, wind, rain, and heat
bring death to many people every year.
We also live in a world
where thieves and violent criminals exist.
And so we need protection.
But notice the word that's used here
to describe these two activities
of building and protection.
He calls it vain.
It doesn't say that
building isn't or can't be done without God,
but that apart from Him,
these activities are considered vain.
Now, I don't know about you,
but when I normally think of the word vanity,
I used to think of it
as describing something
that's applied to more extravagant
or excessive aspects of life.
Like a person spends all his time
in front of the mirror
or wondering if everybody is thinking
about him or her.
Positive.
But the psalm, in this psalm,
the term is applied to
some very essential aspects of life.
The Hebrew word shab
or vain
is different from the word hevel
or vanity
that occurs 36 times
in the book of Ecclesiastes.
Yes, they're synonyms,
but shab has a different usage.
And it also has a poetic element
in the sense that
when you read the psalm verbally,
it's a lot less creepy than heaven.
It's shab.
Unless God is this shab
the way the poet wanted to communicate
to us.
But not only does it refer to
emptiness or wastefulness,
but it's primarily used
to describe falsehood and deceit.
In fact, the false prophets of Israel
were described as bringing
vain or false visions
to the people.
Same word, shab.
And so vanity,
in this sense,
here in Psalm 127,
is used to describe
something that isn't
what it appears to be.
So in the context of this passage,
we are warned
that involvement
in even the most basic
needs of life
can deceive us
if God is not the one
providing it.
In these situations,
any security we gain
is really
a false security.
This kind of delusion
is everywhere.
I remember as a young man
in 1981,
a report came out
that listed the most ideal locations
to live in the world.
They were rated
according to several
different criteria,
but security was one
of its primary concerns.
And among the top five
on the list
were some beautiful islands
off the coast
of Argentina
called
the Bauchlin Islands.
One year later,
on April 2nd,
World News reported
the headlines,
Argentine forces
invade the Bauchlin Islands.
The ensuing
two and a half months
war with Britain
claimed
1,200 lives.
Whatever security
the islands offered
was
no,
it didn't really exist.
That's natural
for us to feel secure
in our accomplishments.
We have prosperous cities.
We have developed
highly developed skills,
nice homes,
many churches,
police,
and a strong military.
But I wonder
if it's possible
that these things
have masked
an ever-increasing
spiritual meaning.
in our generation
we've seen
the church
there are programs
for every imaginable
problem.
Never has there been
as many
marriage seminars
and books
available.
But the results
have been disappointing.
Divorce among
nominal Christians
has officially
surpassed
that
non-insuredness.
The passage here
doesn't say
that it's impossible
to build
or provide
some sense
of security
but it does warn us
that all our efforts
all our goals
our successes
can amount
to nothing.
In order to be
truly dependent
upon God
we must be aware
that it's possible
to be met
and misled
by a private sense
of security.
There is here
in these verses
a second truth
that God wants
you to know.
That truth
is simply
that
God
himself
is
your ultimate
source
of sustenance
and security.
Not only
should we be aware
of a false
sense of security
but
God wants you
to be assured
that he alone
provides
what you need
and what
he provides
is
what you need.
Look at these
verses again
verses 1 and 2
each stanza
begins
or each stanza
in the verse
refers to
the Lord
Yahweh
unless Yahweh
goes
unless Yahweh
watches
and in verse 2
he
referring to
the Lord
he gives
there's a wonderful
truth implied here
and you have to
look at it
from the back
side
but it's true
the God
who created
the universe
and who appeared
to Abraham
and Isaac
and Jacob
is not
some distant
creator
who left us
to run
our own lives
he's the creator
and sustainer
of the universe
he builds
he secures
he gives
and he does this
all the time
of Yahweh
and we
are created
in his image
to work
with him
in his
work
but he
is the owner
the architect
the general
contractor
the foreman
the inspector
and the maintainer
is Shomer
Iskael
the keeper
of Israel
now verse 2
reveals a further
aspect of this
truth about the
Lord
the vanity
mentioned here
is that of
attempting to
cram more work
today than is
necessary
it is vain
for you
rising early
going late
to rest
eating the bread
of an anxious
toil
you might think
of the typical
workaholic
something compels
that person
not to want
to stop
it could simply
be a desire
to provide
well
this activity
is also
vain
because
it defeats
the person
into thinking
that this
is necessary
or advantageous
to get ahead
maybe even
break you
these persons
might quickly
rise to the top
but often
lose anything
value to them
like family
and friends
along the way
the point of
the passage
is that
what God
says about
this
or actually
what God
says about
himself
it is vain
for you
to live
like this
because
God
gives
his beloved
sleep
God
created
us
people
who
need
to sleep
!
Now sleep
is God's
means for us
to maintain
health
mentally
physically
sleep
good night's
sleep
is necessary
it rests
the mind
it allows
the body
to prepare
itself
well
the sleep
is a
powerful
illustration
of dependence
on God
most of
the vital
aspects
of our
lives
really we
have no
control
over
can we
really be
in control
when we
have to
check out
eight hours
every single
day
what a
vulnerable
activity
you don't
have to
work more
than one
day each
day to
meet your
needs
because God
provides what
you really
need
you don't
have to
work
seven days
a week
just to
survive
because God
provides
what you
need
I think
Jesus
emphasized
this when
he said
seek first
the kingdom
of God
and all
of these
things
the things
that you
really need
will be
added
to you
now
we must
recognize
that our
involvement
in our
own
sustenance
and security
is obvious
but it's
not enough
our sustainer
is the
ultimate
source
of our
well-being
really
there's only
two ways
to live
you can
either build
with God
or you can
build without
him
you can
either
attempt to
secure
your life
with God
or without
him
and we
know from
the scripture
that the
Lord's
favor is
upon
those
who
build
with
him
and
secure
with
him
but he
is against
those
who
build
without
him
when God
is for
us
we call
that grace
when God
is against
us
we call
that
wrath
now think
about it
the all
knowing
omnipresent
all wise
all powerful
infinitely
good
God
is for
you
isn't that
security
enough
but if God
is against
you
all your
building
and attempt
to secure
your life
will amount
to nothing
of course
there is
good news
for those
who build
without
him
God
has
provided
the way
for anyone
to move
from wrath
to grace
that is
the essence
of the gospel
of Jesus
Christ
that we love
so much
Jesus'
death
and resurrection
satisfied
the demands
of justice
against
our
independence
when we
believe in
Jesus
we are
laying down
our own
false
sense of
self-sufficiency
and we
depend
entirely
upon
him
receiving
God's
grace
begins
with a
simple
act of
faith
but it
follows
with a
lifetime
commitment
of faith
to build
only what
he is
building
to guard
only what
he is
concerned
about
and to
work
within
the means
and gifts
that he
provides
that is the
Christian life
God wants you
to give him
your complete
trust
God not only
wants to warn
us against
the delusion
of false
purity
and to
show us
that he
is the
only source
of true
security
but in
this song
there appears
to be
something
which I
consider
fascinating
thirdly
he gives
us an
important
illustration
of the
role of
children
in how
he
provides
security
for us
so the
third point
God wants
you to
know
that he
gives
children
as a
means
to
security
look
about
look
at what
God
says
about
verse
three
behold
children
are
inherited
from
the
Lord
of
the
womb
of
the
Lord
now both
of those
terms
are value
terms
used to
describe
how
children
contribute
to God
care for
a family
I know
we get
to
summarize
them as
children
are
blessings
but if
we do
that we're
missing
the point
of this
passage
inheritance
from the
Lord or
literally
of the
Lord
and a
reward
generally
we don't
understand
these verses
as a little
context
right now
in the
period of
the kings
of Israel
when the
psalm was
written
families
depended
greatly
on
children
for their
prosperity
and
protection
against
threats
and in
agrarian
society
children
worked
in fields
and care
for
lives
and as
they grew
they were
essential
for
social
security
and the
care
of their
elderly
parents
that was
the way
of life
now most
of us
will confess
children
are
blessings
but
practically
many think
of them
as liabilities
out of the
cost
of childhood
the cost of
feeding
and clothing
the child
money needed
for a good
education
and other
wants
needs
it can be
quite expensive
in our
society
we hear
more arguments
against
having
children
they're an
inconvenience
not ready
they're a
choice
our perception
of the
blessings
of children
has
changed
when the
Israelites
sang this
song on
the way
to Jerusalem
during each
of the
three
great
festivals
they understood
exactly what
they were
saying
God gives
children for
the prosperity
and security
of the family
of the nation
and of the
fulfillment
of the
gospel
there's
something
about
God's
choice
of
Abraham
that
affirms
this
when you
think of
Abraham
what
first comes
to your
mind
father of
all nations
faith
father of
all nations
right
we have
those terms
to describe
him and
they're
completely
accurate
when we
think of
him
as a
man of
faith
don't
we
by faith
in God's
command
he left
his homeland
and his
father's
house
to travel
to
command
his
promise
to start
all over
by faith
in God's
command
he trusted
the Lord
would give
him
a son
even though
he was
99 years
old
and also
by faith
he obeyed
the Lord's
test
and offered
up his
son Isaac
as a
sacrifice
fully believing
that God
was able
to raise
him from
the dead
but Abraham's
role in
redemptive
history
was so
much more
than a few
amazing
demonstrations
of faith
what was
Abraham's
daily
essential
role
in redemptive
history
he was a
father
he taught
his family
faithfully
and this
disciple
them
discipline
that
disciple
them
in the way
of the
Lord
how do I
do that
right after
God told
Abraham
that within
a year
his 90
year old
wife
Sarah
would have
a child
and on
his way
to destroy
the cities
of the
plain
near the
salt
sea
he said
something
that I
think is
amazing
verse 17
of chapter
18
of Genesis
the Lord
said
shall I
hide from
Abraham
what I
am about
to do
seeing
that Abraham
shall surely
become a
great and
mighty nation
and that all
the nations
of the earth
will be
blessed in
him
familiar with
that phrase
right
that's the
gospel
that's what
we are
benefiting from
to this
day
then he
says
for I
have
chosen
him
that
listen
carefully
he may
command
his
children
and his
household
after him
to keep
the way
of the
Lord
doing
righteousness
and justice
and then
further
so that
the Lord
may bring
to Abraham
what he
has promised
him
the Lord
himself
here
says
that the
accomplishment
of his
great plan
of salvation
required
that a
man
Abraham
command
his children
and household
after him
to keep
the way
of the
Lord
by human
righteousness
and justice
be a
faithful
father
God's
way
involves
a
godly
heritage
now look
how up
Scott
describes
Christ's
children
in verse
4 he
calls them
arrows
in the
hands
of a
mighty
warrior
there are
plenty of
things we
can call
children
but why
arrows
an
arrow
was
what
a
weapon
of
war
you might
be tempted
to think
of it
solely in
terms of
hunting
but really
the
mighty
man's
arrows
were
his
protection
they were
his
second
amendment
right
as a
weapon
they had
to be
adequately
prepared
and available
at hand
they were
the mighty
man's
defense
they were
meant to
be aimed
and fired
at a
threatening
target
a great
warrior
was one
with a
good aim
and who
made each
arrow
count
in view of
this it
makes sense
that an
effective
warrior
would have
more than
1.93
arrows
in his
equipment
now
does this
description
of children
make you
feel a
little bit
uncomfortable
well the
godless
philosophy
of our
name
says that
children
are
individuals
which
are
free
to
discover
their
own
purposes
in life
and interests
this is not
god's
perspective
can you
imagine a
warrior
taking his
arrows
and tossing
them up
in the
air
to see
where
they
will
go
if you
as a
parent
lay down
your
responsibility
to
train
direct
teach
to
guide
your
children
someone
else
will
if you
don't
take
and aim
your
arrows
at the
appropriate
target
you can
be sure
that your
enemy
will take
them
and aim
them
back
at you
the
end of
verse 5
highlights
the final
way
children
become
god's
meaning
of
security
notice
here the
image of
a family
having
a
convocation
in
the
city
perhaps
these
enemies
were
accusing
the
man
falsely
in
court
perhaps
the
man
is
being
taken
advantage
of
in
business
we
really
don't
know
from
the
context
but what
is clear
is that
this
family
man
had his
children
with him
riding
the
gate
standing
with him
reminds me
of Ben
Cartwright
the
man
facing a
couple of
renegades
in the
town
just as
the men
talk and
try to
take advantage
of old
Ben
you'd
hear
click
three guns
held by
Adam
Haas
and
little
yo
cocked
and aimed
from three
different
directions
as a
wisdom
song
psalm 127
doesn't
address
all the
issues
that the
view
of God's
sovereignty
raises
God
doesn't
give
everyone
lots of
children
sometimes
he doesn't
give
anything
having
and raising
children
doesn't
well
doesn't
mean
that they
will all
turn out
well
and
sometimes
we
experience
tragic
loss
and even
the
ungodly
have
children
God
has good
reasons
for
the
truth
of
psalm
1.7
is still
valid
God
wants
you
to
completely
depend
on
him
to
establish
and
maintain
your
life
and
calm
cares
about
and
he
wants
you
to
know
that
you
can
trust
his
way
of
providing
to
benefit
from all
this
you need
to be
aware
in
some
ways
the
deception
of
false
security
you need
to
trust
that
he
is
the
only
source
for
true
security
and
what
he
provides
is
what
you
really
need
and
he
needs
to
value
his
way
of
providing
children
as a
means
of
security
a
strong
family
will have
a
positive
influence
in the
church
in the
community
and in
the
world
and a
strong
church
family
made
up
strong
families
can
have
a
great
impact
for
effective
discipleship
life
transformation
and the
fulfillment
of our
evangelistic
task
in the
world
today
so I
would encourage
to build
what the
father is
doing
protect
what he
cares
about
look to
him
alone
for what
he needs
and value
value
to
children
in your
life
and
service
that's
right
a
Thank you.